BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ‘DISTANT RELATIVES’, the first collaborative album by Caribbean Reggae singer Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley and American rapper Nasir ‘Nas’ Jones is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, May 18.
According to www.distantrelatives.com, the artistes first link was when they trodded the ‘Road to Zion’ which was a hit from Marley’s first debut album ‘Welcome to Jamrock’.
“What we’re about to do right now is go back. Back to a time when rap’s greatest hits were created in basement sound rooms, not corporate boardrooms, when Dancehall and Hip Hop music was all about moving the crowd not moving units,” the site stated.
At the 2009 Grammy Awards, Jones told MTV reporters that he was working on an album with Marley.
“We tryin' to build some schools in Africa with this one, and trying to build empowerment. We're tryin' to show love and stuff with this album. So, the record's all about really the 'hood and Africa also as well,” he said.
Proceeds from the album will go towards a project in Africa where they are hoping to build a school in the Congo.
The album title derives from Nas and Marley's relationship, their shared African ancestry and the shared ancestry of the entire human race, which musically and lyrically inspired each recording.
The album's content will heavily revolve around Africa, from ancestry and poverty. The duo worked to maintain the theme, which will contain samples from African music. The album will offer their social commentary of the United States and Africa.
The first single, ‘As We Enter’, was released on itunes on February 23, 2010 and has peaked at itunes number 10 on the iTunes Hip Hop/Rap charts and number 41 on the iTunes Music charts.
The album features 13 tracks plus a bonus track, ‘Ancient People’, featuring Junior Reid. ‘Count Your Blessings’, another track featured on the album, reflects on the plight of the continent and Marley told Rolling Stones they are hoping it could be something people would play in their car as a lot of charity albums come off “corny”.
The sound of ‘Distant Relatives’ features live musicians as well as studio production by Damian and his elder brother Stephen Marley, a distinguished award-winning artiste and producer in his own right.
Featured artistes on the album connect other diasporic dots including New Orleans’ own Lil Wayne as well as the critically acclaimed Somali-born, Canadian-raised MC K’NAAN.
‘Strong Will Continue’ is another track on the album. The chorus is sung by Marley and states: “When the Armageddon start get dread a lot of weak heart a weep and moan, only the strong will continue/Do you have it in you? Cause we`ve got a journey to go, and when the battle get sour and dread, a lot of weak heart a wither and moan, only the strong will continue, I know you have it in you, I know you have it in you.”
